Former Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon said out loud what Broncos fans have been saying for years: the Justin Herbert hype has to be matched by results.
Carthon, now working in the media after previously being in the 49ers' front office, went after Herbert following the Chargers’ Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on CBS.
"If Justin Herbert does not take the next step, we need to have the real conversation: Does [he] belong in this franchise quarterback conversation?"
That was the line that landed. Carthon followed it up with another blunt assessment of Herbert’s place in the league.
"If Justin Herbert does not take the next step, we need to have the real conversation, because he's been put into this elite quarterback category, but we haven't seen the results of that...In terms of performance, where has that talent led your football team?"
The timing made the comments hit even harder. The Chargers didn’t just lose in Week 1 - they lost to an Arizona team with a rookie head coach and a young roster that still has holes, while Los Angeles came in looking like the more established group with stability on the sideline and an alleged elite quarterback under center.
And the national quarterback rankings only added fuel to the debate. Just before the 2026 season opened, NFL.com had Herbert seventh, with Bo Nix at 16th.
The Ringer slotted Herbert fourth. ESPN’s ranking, built from executives and coaches around the league, also placed Herbert seventh.
That gap between reputation and production is exactly what has irritated Broncos fans for years. Herbert’s physical tools have never been the issue. The problem, as they see it, is what those tools have actually turned into on the field.
Carthon’s criticism also lands in a familiar place when it comes to Herbert’s résumé. He has never won a division title with the Chargers, has never won a playoff game, and his postseason play has been some of the worst of his career.
Now the Chargers are staring at a brutal stretch after the Cardinals loss. Warren Sharp noted that what was supposed to be an easy opener has turned into a difficult road ahead, with the Chargers moving into the #2 TOUGHEST schedule in the NFL after Week 2, plus an NFL-worst -24 days of net rest, seven games with a rest disadvantage, and four games against teams coming off a bye.
Whether Week 1 was just a bad outing or something more, Herbert’s performance has pushed the conversation into a place Broncos fans have wanted it to go for a long time.
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